Improvement of the arterial blood flow, in patients with obstruction of the arteries to the leg, is usually obtained by surgically bypassing the occluded arteries, or by removing obstructions with devices that are inserted into the blood vessel. In elderly patients who have undergone multiple vascular procedures, the deterioration of arterial blood flow can lead to severe pain (ischemic neuritis), tissue loss (arterial ulcers) or toe loss (gangrene). When the arteries cannot be repaired anymore, this situation may lead to leg amputation. An external compression device is herein described that could improve arterial blood flow in order to treat ischemic pain and ulceration, and obviate the need for amputation, thereby eliminating the risks of surgery.